Avenging of the Elect

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 28, 1862

Avenging of the Elect.

(Continued.)

A REVOLUTION IN THE PRIMITIVE PROTESTANT FAITH.

To the long catalogue of eminent divines who formerly maintained the primitive faith, it would be easy to add, as adopting it in full, or in part, especially in the essential part of looking for the immediate coming of the Lord, previously to any general improvement in the world's condition, the names of Bradford, Piscator, Sandys, Perkins, Fox, Maton, Adams, Durant, Farmer, Rutherford, Sterry, Vincent, Thomas Hall, Jurieu, Charnock, (probably) Henry, Burnet, Cressener, Napier, Fleming, Increase Mather, Isaac Newton, Wells, Dr. Gill, Bengel, Doddrige, Newcome, Thomas Newton, Cotton Mather, Charles Wesley, John Fletcher, Perry, Toplady, Bishop Butler, Dr. Coke, Spalding, Lowth, Rudd, Hussey, Heber, Prince, Gale, etc., etc. The number of most of these were eminent either as authors, or preachers, or both together, and formed, with those previously referred to, such a succession of learning, talent, and piety, as cannot fail to convince the unprejudiced of the importance of a solemn consideration of the doctrine which, since their times, has been so essentially changed. With the exception of the few, comparatively, the views of these earlier divines are not maintained by the divines of the nineteenth century.

Supposing the primitive disciples and the primitive Protestants held, essentially, in this respect, the true faith, how very significant the inquiry, "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith in the earth? Shall he find that specific faith that he was then illustrating?"

Among the names in the list just presented, as adopting, in whole or in part, especially the essential part, the millennarian doctrine, is found the name of Butler. This is Bishop Butler, the eminent author of the "Analogy of Religion," etc., a book that, by common consent, is placed at the head of all works of a similar kind. As the writer has no recollection of meeting with the name of Butler among the champions for millennarianism, he deems it appropriate here to make two or three extracts from the Analogy, that indicate unmistakably Butler's millennarian views, especially in the two essential points of looking for the coming of the Lord to establish his kingdom in the earth, and the final restoration of the remnant of Israel under the Messiah.

Speaking of the peculiar character of the Bible as being "a kind of abridgment of the history of the world, in the view just now mentioned, that is, a general account of the condition of religion and its professors, during the continuance of that apostasy from God, and the state of wickedness which it supposes the world everywhere to lie in," he remarks, "But it seems to contain some very general account of the chief governments of the world, as the general state of religion has been, is, or shall be, affected by them, from the first transgression, and during the whole interval of the world's continuing in its present state, to a certain future period, spoken of in both the Old and New Testaments, very distinctly and in great variety of expression: 'The times of the restitution of all things;' 'When the mystery of God shall be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets;' 'When the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed;' 'And the kingdom shall not be left to other people, as it is represented to be, during this apostasy, but judgment shall be given to the saints, and they shall reign;' 'And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.'"

Among the early Methodists, Charles Wesley, the celebrated hymnologist, and John Fletcher, the celebrated preacher and polemical writer, were accustomed to maintain the primitive millennarian doctrines; not, perhaps, in every particular, but fully in respect to the personal and immediate coming of the Lord to destroy the wicked, and to set up the kingdom of the saints.

In Fletcher's Letter on the Prophecies, which is supposed to have been addressed to Mr. John Wesley, he says, "Give me leave, Rev. Sir, to propose to you a thing which many will look on as a great paradox, but has yet sufficient ground in Scripture to raise the expectation of every Christian who sincerely looks for the coming of the Lord—I mean the great probability that in the midst of this grand revolution, which will destroy Rome, our Lord Jesus will suddenly come down from heaven, and go himself conquering and to conquer. . . . . . . Nay, the apostle goes a great deal further; for in the same chapter, 2 Thess. ii, he assures us that the Lord will destroy the man of sin by the brightness of his presence. Can anything be plainer?" "Let us pray to God more frequently, that for the elect's sake he will still more shorten the days of the tribulation, and add daily to the true church such as will be saved. But let us not forget to rejoice with Abraham, in seeing by faith the glorious day of our Lord; and to hasten by our fervent prayers that glorious kingdom, those happy days, when narrow shall be the way to destruction, when saints raised from the dead shall converse with living saints, and the world of spirits be manifested in a great measure to the material world—in a word, when Jesus shall be all in all. What a glorious prospect is this! Let us then often think of these words of our Lord, 'Behold, I come quickly..' 'Blessed is he that mindeth the sayings of this prophecy.' Let us join the 'Spirit and the Bride' who say, 'Come. O let him that heareth say, Come; and let him that is athirst come,' for he that testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen: even so come, Lord Jesus!"

Among the Methodists, especially those of the older stamp, no writer of their denomination is more admired than Fletcher. But does the millennarianism of Fletcher find much favor now in the Methodist church? No; the few who dare to be singular enough to be like him in respect to this matter, do it under great disadvantages, and expect to be looked upon with suspicion and even disfavor. It is doubtful if any one of the official book establishments would consent to issue a millennarian publication, however well and properly written. Another faith almost universally prevails in the Methodist church. The advocacy of Fletcher's millennarian views, at any of the great anniversaries of the Methodist church, would be likely to bring down upon the unfortunate advocate such a frown, and even such a storm, perhaps, as would not soon be forgotten.

And yet Dr. Coke, the Methodist commentator, the intimate friend and associate of the founder of the Methodist church—Dr. Coke, the father of the Methodist missions, and the greatest missionary that church ever produced, was an outspoken, able advocate of millennarian views. See his comment on Rev. xx. But so changed has the faith become now, and so different the views, hopes, and motives that keep the missionary enterprise in operation, that the primitive millennarian faith would be deemed most unfavorable, and even fatal, perhaps, to the whole missionary operations.

The hope of the world's conversion now seems to be the principal motive to excite the missionary zeal; not the imminency of the world's peril, in view of the uncertainty, and yet probable nearness, of the day of the Lord, as it used to be in the olden times.

Although Charles Wesley, the chief hymnologist of the Methodist church, was a zealous millennarian, and wrote almost numberless hymns of that peculiar character, many of which may still be found in every Methodist hymn book, yet to preach and to argue in support of the same sentiments which are everywhere sung, would not be advantageous to any minister's popularity, however appropriately he might do it. To quote all that Mr. Wesley wrote of the millennial character, would be impracticable in so small a volume as this is intended to be. As a few specimens, see the whole of the hymns beginning, "Lift your heads, ye friends of Jesus." "Lo! he comes, with clouds descending." "I call the world's Redeemer mine." "Thou Judge of quick and dead." "Jesus, faithful to his word." "Stand the Omnipotent decree." "Come, let us anew our journey pursue." And many others of the same character.

We have by no means exhausted the proof of the departure from the primitive Methodist faith on this subject. But our limits will not permit us to linger at this point. It seems perfectly evident that, as the primitive faith of the first ages of the Christian church was soon corrupted or ignored, and as the primitive Protestant faith was soon revolutionized in the several original branches of the great Protestant family, so in even those denominations of more recent origin, their original faith has gradually given place to other views. The millennarian doctrines seem to have been the primary convictions of all the first reformers, at that critical period when the leaders of the various great reformatory movements found it necessary, like Luther, Knox, Calvin, Wesley, Coke, and others, to place their main reliance in their own personal study of God's word. But when the time arrives that their followers become numerous and popular, and the after generations feel less the danger of trusting in man, and less the necessity of depending directly upon God for wisdom and defense; when their

primitive vigor and simplicity depart, and they become more worldly and careless, then, just in proportion to this declension, will usually be found their departure from the millennarian views, and, of course, the substitution of something else. Now, from the first general corruption of the original Christian faith in the third century, down through the various revivals and declensions of different departments in the Protestant societies until now, it will be found that these remarks are true in the main. But, if true to this extent, how alarming and how lamentable the state of christendom, in respect to the original faith!

We close this chapter with an extract from Dr. Coke's commentary on passages which gave him occasion to say, "Near, even at the door is the great day of judgment. The period of time which yet remains we know is short. How short, who can tell? At the coming of Christ to avenge and deliver his people, the faith of his coming will in a great measure be lost. Chronological calculation, and the general appearance of the world, all conspire to tell us that the events of the latter days are even come upon us, and that the time of God's controversy with earth is near at hand. It is already on the wing. If these things are insufficient to alarm the guilty, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead."—Buck.

(To be Continued.)